Human Migration
Migration has been happening for many years. Recently, it has been in the news a lot with the scary route across the sea or the desert that so many people face. You might be wondering why people cross the dangerous sea in a small boat to get to another country? There are so many reasons for this. Some leave to find a job and with a plan to send money back to their families. Some go to get education. Others might leave because they don’t have a choice – either it is too dangerous from all the fighting and violence, or extreme weather conditions (drought or floods) prevent their lands from providing enough food and/or water for them to survive. The people who move to other countries are, therefore, divided into two groups: Refugees and Migrants. Refugees are people who leave their own country for another because they are forced to. They hope that the new country will protect them and let them live there. Refugees often leave for political reasons or because of war. A migrant is anyone who crosses international borders because he or she is looking for a better life. There are many organisations who support refugees and migrants and help them overcome the dangers they face. The United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation of Migration (IOM) are just two of the many organisations working in this area. There are also many other actors working to solve the roots of the problem: war, violence, human rights violations, lack of job opportunities, extreme poverty or climate change. It is important for all of us to understand the difficulties refugees and migrants face, so that countries accept them and treat them with respect and kindness. If we want to create a better world, we must make sure we leave no one behind.